Dark Souls will likely be in your PS3 and Xbox 360 disc trays today, and you'll also be $14.99 poorer (or 1200 stupid Microsoft points) but it's a price well-worth paying for the new Artorias of the Abyss DLC.

The new content expands a great deal on the fascinating lore of Lordran, bringing you into the magical realm of Oolacile in a different time with a new quest.

Of course, you'll need to play many hours of old content to get there, but it's time well spent.

The new content on consoles will not be privy to all the modding goodness of the PC version, but it will be identical in every other way.

Oh yes, you will need to prepare yourself. To die and then die some more.

The new patch removes some glitches from the game, such as the bottomless box glitch which allowed players to transfer items between characters.

And of course, some new buffs and nerfs have been patched in.

Elemental damage has been reduced, the Dark Wood Grain Ring is no longer as powerful, and various other noticeable and less noticeable changes have been made.

Here's a list of nerfed items:

Mask of the Father

Mask of the Mother

Eagle Shield

Black Knight Greataxe

Hornet Ring

Dark Wood Grain Ring

Soul Spear

Crystal Soul Spear

Sunlight Spear

Greatswords have also been powered down. Spears take up more stamina when used from behind shields.

You can also expect more warpable bonfires (including some very useful ones) for faster travel later in the game and a new arena mode accessed within the new content itself, making multiplayer PvP much more viable than before.

The combination of weaker items and elemental damage, which makes the game harder, and more warps which make the game a bit easier, is a sensible and welcome one even if it does mean some of your favorite items are no longer quite as good.

Then again, I still think playing through the game without any upgrades to weapons at all is the best way to play.

It's hard, but it makes each weapon far more useful and relevant.

You don't stick to just that one overpowered sword you put so much time into upgrading.

Instead you need to tailor each fight to the weapon that's best suited for it.

Though so far as I can tell the Claymore is still perhaps the most imbalanced weapon in the game.